Two candidates vying for Polk County Commission District 2 seat
Oct. 20—EAST GRAND FORKS — Both candidates for Polk County Commission's District 2 seat are bringing previous experience from other boards as Election Day draws closer.
Curtis Knutson and Leonard Vonasek will appear on the general ballot for some East Grand Forks residents, as District 2 covers Wards 1 and 2 of the city. Knutson and Vonasek were the highest and second-highest vote-getters during Minnesota's primary election, earning about 48.5% and 32.3% of the votes, respectively. The third candidate, Douglas Cariveau, received 19.2%.
Vonasek, who lives just south of the East Grand Forks city limits, said he decided to run for commission because of Warren Strandell, the current District 2 commissioner who chose not to run for reelection.
"I found out that he's retiring, and he asked me if I was interested in running for a commissioner position," he said. "I said, yes, I was, and I guess I've been in it with both feet since then."
Vonasek has previously served on the Polk County Planning and Zoning board.
Knutson, who lives near Fisher, also has previous experience serving on boards, including the board of directors for American Crystal Sugar Company, Minnesota Crop Improvement Association, school boards and more. He said he wanted to run so he could continue serving.
"My community raised me," he said. "My father died when I was 14, and so the community helped raise me with my mother, and so I have always felt like I owe them a service back."
Knutson said some of his focuses if elected include law enforcement, resources for senior citizens and roads and bridges. He also wants to support actions that benefit the futures of kids like his grandchildren, 11 of whom who live in District 2.
Meanwhile, some of Vonasek's concerns include safety of all kinds — on farms, on highways, around school buses, etc. — and making sure taxes benefit local projects.
Knutson said he should be elected because of his previous experience on other boards, especially when he was chairman of the American Crystal Sugar board.
"I have the experience to ask the right questions and get into the details. I can dive deeply into things that are fairly complicated," he said. "I think I have the qualifications and certainly the training to do a great job for the District 2 Polk County Commission job."
Vonasek said people should vote for him because he feels like he has "something to give back" to the community.
"I think the people that know me will know that I am an honest and sincere man," he said. "I believe in things that are good for all people, and I fight for those if I need to, although I think that we're, in most cases, better off not fighting because tempers just cause problems."
Polls on Election Day open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Ward 1's polling location is at the senior center on Rhinehart Drive Southeast, and Ward 2's polling location is in the first-floor City Hall training room on DeMers Avenue Northwest.
